Author: Serkadis

Connie Schultz, a columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and a supporter of special copyright laws is back with another nonsensical column, this time weighing in on the recent debates about anonymous comments and her own newspaper’s decision to reveal the name of a commenter. Her summary: anonymity is just evil and should be done away with. Not just evil, but bad for the country. Seriously:

Maybe that’s the foolish optimist in me, but I want to believe that we will finally admit — to ourselves and to the public at large — that allowing people to hide behind anonymity has not been good for our industry, our culture or our country.

Apparently, Ms. Schultz is unfamiliar with The Federalist Papers, which were (*gasp*) written and published anonymously, and were instrumental in ratifying the US Constitution. Apparently, that was bad for our country. And, apparently, Ms. Schultz is unfamiliar with the concept of anonymous sources or anonymous tips that often drive important investigative reporting — the same kind of investigative reporting she thinks will die without special copyrights to protect her employer.

No one denies that when anonymity is allowed people may abuse it. But getting rid of anonymity completely is going way too far and greatly diminishes and limits certain important conversations — which are not bad for “our industry, our culture or our country.” Instead of whining about anonymity, why not focus on providing incentives for people to better identify themselves?

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For awhile now we’ve been telling you about the work of professor Victor Shih who is warning about the $1trillion+ debts incurred by Chinese state governments.

A new report from research from Independent Strategy has a very nice characterization of these local governments, and their analogue to the US crisis: they’re the SIVs, the vehicles that allowed Citigroup (C) et. al. to mask the true state of their rot.

According to Shih, the rot is located in the so-called Local Government
Financing Vehicles (LGFVs) belonging to one of China’s many levels of
local government ranging from towns and counties to cities and provinces.
LGFVs are conduits, like the Special Investment Vehicles (SIVs) were
for western banks, used by local government to borrow and spend on
infrastructure and other projects (like real estate).

Local governments inject land banks, SOEs and cash into a LGFV to give
it assets and a capital base for borrowing.  Guarantees of LGFV debt by
local governments are also common (as are guarantees of one LGFV’s
debts by another).  The usefulness of the LGFV is that it allows local
government to borrow and spend way in excess of its own budget, where
normally tax revenues cover only about half expenditure (with the rest
coming from Beijing).  Local government deficit spending is not allowed.

There are over 8,000 LGFVs in China with only paltry information avail-
able for all but 100 of them and even for those the information is incom-
plete.  Local authorities have used LGFVs to divert funds borrowed for
authorised projects to other ends (e.g. loans for infrastructure spending
channeled into real estate speculation by local cadres) or to borrow and
feed back the proceeds to local government.  LGFVs are predominantly
unprofitable, with the debt service on existing debts being funded by
further cash subsidies from local government and additional borrowings.
And they have been financed by asset injections at inflated prices (e.g.
local government land banks) to dress up their balance sheets and facili-
tate borrowing, despite often being insolvent.

It’s these SIVs that allow for this:

In conclusion, these local entities — which get at least half of their revenue from real estate, and not taxes — have one solution: keep praying for a bubble (oh, and hope that the export sector never slows down).

Join the conversation about this story »

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Etc., Videos, Ferrari, Celebrities

When a legitimate Ferrari 250GT Spyder California goes on sale at auction, the ultra-rare droptops can fetch $10 million or more. The are two reasons the 250GT fetches so much cash: because there were fewer than 100 copies made between 1958 and 1963 and because we’re talking about a gorgeous Ferrari. Now switch out the legit Ferrari with one of the many replica 250GTs, the payout would likely be so insignificant many auction houses wouldn’t bother.

That’s almost universally true, but if you’re talking about the actual 1961 Ferrari 250GT replica used in the classic John Hughes movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, the same rules don’t necessarily apply. The one-of-a-kind replica, built off of a far more pedestrian MG platform, is being auctioned off at the Bonhams Collectors’ Motor Cars and Automobilia auction on April 19 at the RAF Museum London. The price tag for a piece of automotive movie history? The auction house is reportedly looking to snag £30,000 to £40,000 ($45,000 to $60,000 in U.S. funds) for the little red ragtop. The fake Ferrari is reportedly ready to be driven, but rumor has it that the replica wasn’t even reliable when the movie was being shot back in the mid-80s.

Maybe we’re just big fans of the film, but we thought it might go for a bit more – perhaps it would have more potential at a Stateside auction. Either way, we’re hoping that whoever just bought Cameron’s house (it was up for sale last year) splurges a little and reunites these two. Bonus video footage of both from the movie available after the jump.

[Sources: Telegraph, Motorator]

Continue reading “If you have the means, we highly recommend picking one up” [w/video]

“If you have the means, we highly recommend picking one up” [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve seen Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man Noir in yesterday’s Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions trailer, so now it’s time to get a few more bits of info about the game. Thankfully, Activision has obliged with a press release.

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Technology, Videos, Hyundai

It wasn’t that many years ago that no one really took the engineering capabilities of Hyundai all that seriously. Thanks to recent introductions like the Genesis coupe and sedan, the Tucson and the Sonata, as well as consistently improving quality, the Korean automaker is rapidly gaining respect. Today at the 2010 New York Auto Show, Hyundai debuted its first production hybrid model for the U.S. market based on the recently launched 2011 Sonata.

As we saw in the teaser photo released last Friday, Hyundai has set its hybrid apart from conventional models with an all-new front fascia. However, the changes go well beyond the new grille and headlights. The new wheels combine with extended rocker panels to improve airflow across the flanks. At the back end, the bumper cover has been reshaped with sharp creases at the corners to control the air coming off and minimize drag, and there are set of really interesting taillamps with a sort of neutron molecule-like quality to them. The body alterations drops the hybrid’s projected drag coefficient from the standard Sonata’s already slippery 0.28 to just 0.25. As you might suspect, the really important stuff, however, is under the skin.

Follow the jump to learn more and check out a video.

*UPDATE: Live photos added from New York

Live photos by Frank Filipponio / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Hyundai]

Continue reading New York 2010: Hyundai Sonata Hybrid gets unique look and 37/39 MPG rating [w/video] [UPDATE]

New York 2010: Hyundai Sonata Hybrid gets unique look and 37/39 MPG rating [w/video] [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Hyundai

Ever since Hyundai announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show that it would add a turbocharged variant to its all-four-cylinder lineup in the new Sonata, there has been considerable speculation about how much power the engine would produce. The first time we saw a turbocharged direct injection engine in a car from the Hyundai corporate family was the 2008 Kia Koup concept that produced 290 horsepower. This same engine now powers the Sonata to the tune of 274 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque.

Like GTDI engines from Ford and the Volkswagen Group this new turbo Theta II engine has a broad, flat torque curve with the peak being sustained between 1,800 and 4,500 rpm. Hyundai is using a twin-scroll turbocharger like the one used by BMW in its latest engines (see: 2011 535i). The exhaust flow from the pairs of cylinders is fed into the turbine by separate paths to insure optimum response. The turbo housing is an integral casting with the exhaust manifold to provide short exhaust flows to the turbine.

Hyundai’s engine uses a comparatively low 9.5:1 compression ratio compared to some other GTDI engines, but the maximum boost is 17.4 psi. The turbo engine is only offered with a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Particularly impressive is the fuel efficiency of this combination. Hyundai is estimating 22 mpg city and 34 mpg highway – just a tick less than the non-turbo models on the highway and significantly better than any of the V6 powered competitors. The turbo engine will be available on both the SE and Limited trim levels.

*UPDATE: Live photos added from New York
**UPDATE 2: CEO Krafcik says Turbo will come in at “less than $25,000 nicely equipped.”

Live photos by Frank Filipponio/ Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Hyundai]

Continue reading New York 2010: 2011 Hyundai Sonata turbo with 274 HP and 34 MPG! [*UPDATE]

New York 2010: 2011 Hyundai Sonata turbo with 274 HP and 34 MPG! [*UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Eisenhower Memorial Commission has released the designs for a new monument to President Dwight Eisenhower that will sit near the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.. Frank Gehry won the design competition organized by the GSA’s design excellence program. The Eisenhower Memorial is just the seventh one constructed for a U.S. president. 

The Washington Post says the design, which received “totally unanimous” support from the commission, is a departure for Gehry. “The memorial, which will be built on a four-acre parcel just south of the Mall […], will be a mix of traditional and contemporary elements, but none of them scream Frank Gehry.” Frank Gehry commented on the site’s comtemplative mood: “The approach to the design was to create a cohesive and important civic space and urban monument in the heart of the capital region that provides a quiet and contemplative space for learning about the vast accomplishments of President Eisenhower. He was a masterful but modest leader. My aim was to capture that spirit with the design.”

The design chosen by the commission was the most “elaborate” of three ideas submitted by Gehry. “Gehry has proposed closing off a newly defined square defined by the intersection of Independence and Maryland avenues and Fourth and Sixth streets SW. The north and south sides of ‘Eisenhower Square’ will be limned by huge limestone columns, the interior filled with a grove of large oaks and a semicircular space made of a rough assemblage of monolithic stone blocks. There will also be carvings and inscriptions and a service building.”

According to The Architect’s Newspaper, the thirteen limestone columns that surround the site are a ”homage to the neoclassical Jefferson and Lincoln memorials.”

In addition, the memorial will include educational components. “At the center of these stands a grove of oak trees through which visitors will walk to view presentations on Eisenhower’s many accomplishments. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the design is a series of massive woven stainless-steel tapestries that hang from the colonnade. The tapestries will depict scenes from Ike’s life on a grand scale.” 

In fact, there’s some controversy about those stainless steel tapestries. The Washington Post writes that the new metal tapestries could impact views out of the Department of Education, and “limit light and affect sightlines for workers who once had views to the Mall.” Gehry tried to adress these concerns at the hearing, saying that the metal tapestry would be translucent and stand some 90 to 100 feet away from the Education Department building. “Having said that, we’re very concerned about that issue.”

Preserving key views is big in on the Mall. Overall, Gehry Partners tried to arrange the memorial’s elements so they preserve the direct corridor down Maryland Avenue to the Capitol building. Gehry broke apart the series of columns so they don’t block views.

The site’s location also presented a challenge for Gehry. Surrounded by monolithic government office buildings, the site itself is awkward. Gehry said: “I saw the site, and I freaked out. Oh my God, how are we going to deal with this kind of site?’

The success of Gehry’s designs will be decided, in large part, by the levels of pedestrian traffic. If the columns create a “Soviet”-style authoritarian public space that’s “dehumanizing,” people may avoid it instead of going in to learn about Eisenhower’s work. Additionally, the site needs to be compelling enough to pull tourists off the central Mall area.

The Washington Post is dubious the site can be sucessfully integrated into the rest of the Mall: “It may make the city’s most desirable, tourist-trafficked spine feel a bit wider — and perhaps attract History Channel types, veterans and war pilgrims who can now visit the World War II memorial, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Eisenhower Memorial in one long stroll. But it doesn’t open the Mall up to the larger city. It moves the boundaries, but with a giant metal scrim attached to stone tent poles, it doesn’t dissolve them.”

The project is expected to cost somewhere in the range of $90 and $120 million, and will be completed by 2015. Congress has appropriated $19 million for the project to date.

Learn more at the Eisenhower Memorial Commission.

Image credit: Gehry Partners / The Architect’s Newspaper

IDSA and The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) have published Clinical Practice Guidelines for Clostridium difficile infection.

Not surprisingly, it’s a comprehensive, extensively-referenced document that will be an invaluable resource, especially since the previous version is approximately 15 years old.

But with the caveat that I’m not an expert in this area, these particular treatment recommendations continue to perplex me:

Metronidazole is the drug of choice for the initial episode of mild‐to‐moderate Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). The dosage is 500 mg orally 3 times per day for 10–14 days.

Vancomycin is the drug of choice for an initial episode of severe CDI. The dosage is 125 mg orally 4 times per day for 10–14 days.

In what other diseases do we recommend something different for mild vs. severe infection, when both are oral options?  I understand there is a cost difference, but since the data on treatment of severe CDI demonstrate the superiority of vancomycin, is this the right approach?  Especially since oral vancomycin is better tolerated?

Or are we still going through this widely-quoted (and frankly kind of  politically incorrect!) mom vs mother-in-law dilemma?

With the intention of being provocative, what would you take if you had C diff?

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Wagon, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

With a refreshed R-Class debuting this morning and a general understanding that most automakers think Americans prefer trucks to wagons, it was a bit of a pleasant surprise to find Mercedes-Benz taking the wraps off a U.S. market 2011 E350 4Matic Wagon here at the 2010 New York Auto Show today. When we first saw this estate at the Frankfurt Motor Show, we were told not to expect an American showing of the vehicle. Well, Mercedes has apparently had a change of heart as they debuted the wagon, and in 4Matic trim no less.

The E-Class Wagon joins the thoroughly revised sedan and coupe variants of Merc’s mid-sizer and shares much of their styling outside and in. The one big difference obviously is the wagon back, which looks very handsome to our two-box-lovin’ eyes. There’s also the surprise of available jump seats in the “way-back,” which pop out of the floor of the cargo area and go back-to-back with the rear bench, giving the little ones a great view of traffic behind them. The outgoing model had them as an option as well, but we can’t think of any other U.S. cars that still sell these rear-facing “way back” seats.

Mercedes is only bringing the E350 4Matic version of the E-wagon for now, although hope springs eternal that an E63 AMG Wagon might be in the cards eventually, even if it’s only a special-order item like the last one was. For now, there are a whole batch of live shots from New York along with a press release after the jump.

Photos by Frank Filliponio / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading New York 2010: Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon returns with throwback third-row

New York 2010: Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon returns with throwback third-row originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It seems gamers on a tight budget will be able to experience a few more AAA PS3 exclusives soon. Killzone 2, inFamous, and the more PS3 games are reportedly getting the red stripe treatment.

Samkash sends over an odd story out of the Houston Chronicle, concerning an 82-year-old physicist named Roy Weinstein, who supposedly received a patent 20 years and three days after he applied for it on a type of “super magnet.” There’s an awful lot about the story that doesn’t seem to add up, however. At first, I thought that the patent couldn’t even be valid, because patents today expire exactly twenty years after they’re filed. So a patent granted 20 years and three days after filing would, amusingly, have expired three days before it was granted (figure that out!). Except… then I remember that this only applies to patents filed after 1995. If I remember correctly, patents filed before that are given 17 years from when they’re granted. So, it’s entirely possible, if improbable, that the patent was granted and is now valid.

So I went looking for the patent… and I can’t find it (Updated below). Perhaps someone with better tools and experience can find it, but I’ve got nothing. According to the article, the patent was applied for in 1990 and then granted on February 23, 2010. But if you do a search for Roy Weinstein, you get three main results. One is a patent that was applied for in 1991 (5,289,150), but the inventor on that patent isn’t Weinstein, but another guy named Mario Rabinowitz. It just cites the work that Weinstein has done in passing. Also, that patent was granted back in 1994. So that’s not it. I’ve found three other patents that do list Weinstein as the inventor (6083885, 6525002 and 7026271), but those were filed for in 1998, 2000 and 2003, and all issued anywhere from one and a half to three and a half years after being filed.

I can’t find any patent that Weinstein applied for in 1990 or that was granted in 2010 — though, again, it is entirely possible that I am missing something. Thanks to Greg Fenton for pointing out the actual patent, 7,667,562. If you go into PAIR and search on that patent (tragically, and for no clear reason, the USPTO does not let you link directly to PAIR results) you can search on that patent and see the long, drawn out history of that patent. It shows just how many times patent examiners rejected the patent. Over and over and over again.

But the story continues to be bizarre. According to the article:

The patent lets Weinstein move forward with commercial development of his supermagnets that, when chilled to super-low temperatures, can produce a field with the strength of 2 tesla, billions of times stronger than the magnet on your refrigerator.

Weinstein’s magnets are about the size of a stack of five dimes, weigh an ounce, and cost $300. Commercially available electromagnets that can produce a comparable magnetic field weigh two tons and cost $60,000 to $100,000, he says.

The implication here, of course, is that for the past 20 years, this technology could not have been commercialized without the patent — but that’s ridiculous. Of course you can commercialize without a patent, and if the cost savings are really so incredible, there would have been tons of ways to make money, even sans patent. On top of that, it sounds like his other patents may be in the same basic field, so if he was really worried about protection, why not use those patents as well? But the whole claim that he couldn’t commercialize for all this time just doesn’t add up. And, frankly, if it’s true that he decided to not do anything with this supposedly amazing technology just because he couldn’t get a patent on it, it would make him an incredibly spiteful man to purposely deny the world some useful technology.

Weinstein said he is developing a $7 million agreement with Round Rock-based TECO-Westinghouse Motor Co. to construct a 1 megawatt motor that will be a prototype for a 10 megawatt version. The company declined comment.

I’ve done plenty of business deals in my time, and I’ve never heard of anyone publicly announcing to the press the terms of a deal before the deal was signed — especially a deal like a $7 million agreement with a single inventor. Perhaps such a deal is being worked on, but let’s see what actually comes out of the negotiations first.



The story also claims that the patent only got approved when Roy’s son started schmoozing the patent examiner in question, and apparently wore him down on the idea that the idea may have been obvious considering how many products already used similar technologies:

Instead of communicating by letters, Lee Weinstein called the patent examiner directly and struck up a relationship. He assuaged the examiner’s concerns that a patent for the magnet would cover too many existing technologies and might restrict billions of dollars in trade.

“To be honest, this is an area of science that almost certainly a patent examiner wouldn’t understand,” Lee Weinstein said. “It’s deep physics. I tried to help him understand that by granting a claim this wasn’t reaching out and covering some technology it shouldn’t cover.”

This seems rather insulting to the patent examiner in question, but also highlights how if you talk a good game, apparently the USPTO is willing to grant you patents.



Anyway, it seems like there are lots of holes in this story. Hopefully someone can point us to the patent, and maybe we can look over its history in the USPTO’s PAIR system — but I’m still at a loss as to why the lack of a patent meant the technology couldn’t be commercialized.

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A Kia apresentou as suas primeiras novidades no Salão do Automóvel de Nova Iorque. Entre as novidades da companhia está o novo sedã Kia Optima e/ou Magenta 2011, onde temos a seguir uma galeria de fotos revelando detalhadamente o design externo de seu modelo.

Um dos destaques do novo sedã da Kia com certeza é seu visual atraente junto com sua nova plataforma, que é compartilhada com o Hyundai Sonata. Com isso, o Kia Optima 2011 oferecerá um maior espaço interno a seus ocupantes. Todos os detalhes do modelo serão conhecidos durante a sua apresentação oficial que deverá ocorrer até amanha, e até por isso não temos mais detalhes de seu sedã.

Kia Optima 2011

Fonte: CarScoop

Early bird registration for the ReadWriteWeb Mobile Summit 2010 ends today! This is your last chance to save $100. Register now!

The ReadWriteWeb Mobile Summit will take place May 7, 2010, in Mountain View, California and will be an exploration of the latest mobile development trends, both the technology and the emerging business applications.

Sponsor

As with our first event, the Real-Time Web Summit last October, the Mobile Summit will be in the ‘unconference’ format. We discovered in October that the unconference is a perfect complement to our brand, because it encourages a high quality two-way dialog. Not only that, but the knowledge and ideas that came out of our Real-Time Web Summit were practical and useful – we got a lot of great feedback about that.

As with our previous event, the Mobile Summit will be facilitated by Kaliya Hamlin, who in my opinion is the best in the business at this style of event. We’re using the same venue too, the beautiful Computer History Museum.

Mobile was one of our top five trends last year and continues to undergo explosive growth, so our aim with this event is to help you navigate the opportunities. Get ready to explore, think and create the future of mobile! Because it will be you – the attendees – who ultimately set the agenda. You can begin adding your suggestions now.

We will have two main tracks at this Summit, Development and Business. Here’s a sample of some of the topics we’ll explore in both of these tracks:

• Geo-location services – what can you do using location as a platform?
• Commerce & Marketing – as more and more consumers use smartphones, how can businesses utilize this channel?
• Content, Publishing & Recommendations – the technologies and best practices.
• Mobile Social Networking – how to tap into communities on mobile devices.
• Internet of Things – the emerging opportunities from sensor and RFID data.
• Augmented Reality – the technology and business applications of AR.
• Native App vs. Browser Based – Including iPhone, Android, RIM, Palm, Windows Mobile and Symbian.

If you’re a company in the Mobile Internet market, you may be interested in helping sponsor this event. Please contact our COO Sean Ammirati for more information on the sponsor options.

The ReadWriteWeb team is excited about our second event and we can’t wait to discuss the opportunities in Mobile with you on May 7. You can find banners and logos to link to our event here, if you’re so inclined.

We hope to see you on May 7!

Discuss

CD Projekt RED has revealed that they are still considering reviving the cancelled console port of The Witcher. The sequel may also still end up on consoles, but the studio is playing it safe and not confirming

• Key Competitors: Mazdaspeed3, Honda Civic Si, Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart, Volkswagen GTI 5-door.
• Power: 265-hp turbocharged/intercooled 2.5L 4-cylinder.
• Transmission: 5-speed manual.
• Availability: Late 2010.
• Pricing: TBA.

While under the hood the new Subaru Impreza WRX is essentially the same car, Fuji Heavy Industries made some modifications to make the 2011 model just a little better.

The new 2011 Impreza WRX gets a 1.5-inch increase in the front and rear track, firmer rear subframe bushings and wider 17-inch wheels. Subaru says that the new wide-body design marks another major step on the continuous evolution of the WRX.

Follow the jump for the high-res image gallery.

2010 New York: 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX:

All Photos Copyright © 2010 Ari Klots – egmCarTech.

– By: Ari Klots.

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

Today at the 2010 New York Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz showed that it’s still behind the all-but-forgotten “Sports Tourer” when it unveiled the heavily restyled 2011 R-Class. The minivan-that-isn’t-a-minivan has had a rough life up to this point. It was never really marketed well by Mercedes, and the droopy snout never really helped. Like Jennifer Gray though, it’s amazing what a new nose can do for you.

The 2011 model adopts the automaker’s new corporate face with its larger three-pointed star resting inside that upright rectangular grille. It does just enough to butch it up and make the front end handsome. Although in profile, it does look a bit like an extended wheelbase Honda CRV with that sloping D-Pillar. Out back there’s also a revised rear bumper with integrated reflectors, new lenses and a new black diffuser below the bumper.

Interior changes are small, and Mercedes only announced an R350 BlueTEC 4MATIC and R350 4MATIC model for the U.S. for 2011. The 3.0 liter BlueTEC V6 with 210 horsepower and 400 ft-lb of torque is capable of 18/24 miles per gallon, giving it a range of more than 500 miles or just about two tankfuls to Wally World. Pricing wasn’t announced, but the new R-Class should be priced similar to the 2010 models, or $51,675 for the R320 BlueTEC and $50,175 for the R350 4MATIC. Live pics below and the full presser from M-B after the jump.

Photos by Frank Filipponio / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading New York 2010: Mercedes R-Class hits the refresh button for 2011

New York 2010: Mercedes R-Class hits the refresh button for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has gone to great lengths to allow anybody who wants to, the ability to develop and sell their very own app. I appreciate this but I’ve never programmed in Objective-C before and I’m not sure if I want to learn. So I started looking around for alternative ways to create an iPhone app. I had already created web apps using iWebKit so the idea of using HTML and JavaScript is very appealing.

I know, you’re saying “Why not just learn Objective-C? You’re so lazy.” I wanted to test the waters first before I spent a lot of time learning a new programming language. I’m sure there are many other options out there but these are the ones I have looked at.

PhoneGap

PhoneGap is a free open source development tool that allows you to build apps using JavaScript. There is support for iPhone, Android & Blackberry environments. This was the first tool I learned about and it really intrigued me. PhoneGap is designed for someone with HTML and JavaScript knowledge. It will provide a bridge into the iPhone development world.

The first thing you do in install PhoneGap’s library installer and template into Xcode. Now you can choose to create a “PhoneGap-based Application.” This will give you a starting point and it will create all the files that are needed to begin. The idea is that you can build your app like a website. You use HTML and JavaScript as you would if you were creating a web app. There are some native features you can use such as Accelerometer & GPS. It still may be a little tough since the documentation is a little sparse. It’s still young though and they are heading in the right direction.

RhoMobile

RhoMobile is similar to PhoneGap but much more polished. Commercial apps require a licensing fee and that’s why you get so much more. RhoMobile also has support for all current mobile OS’s, synchronized data plans, Ruby support and a web-based development service called RhoHub.

It’s a very nice package and definitely a step up from PhoneGap. They also use special HTML tags to access native features like GPS, contacts, camera, maps and push. Visual style is also very important and that’s why they integrated styling based off of iUI to keep everything feeling native.

The RhoHub editor looks very nice and their sync features are also inviting. The problem I have is the price. I’m already going to be $99 down just to become a developer and I don’t want to risk more money while I’m testing the waters. RhoMobile charges $500 per app and if you use their RhoSync server it starts at $5,000 for 100 users.

I love what they’re doing but I don’t want to commit that much yet. They understand this and even talk about it on their FAQ page.

“Some of our best customers have graduated from a simpler framework.”

Someday I may try them out but not this early in the game.

Titanium

Titanium is similar to RhoMobile, but it’s free. It makes money by offering professional plans that give you premium support, beta access and more in-depth analytics data. I don’t need those features yet so the free version works perfect for me.

The big push with Titanium is keeping things native. It uses JavaScript to talk to the iPhone OS and complete tasks using native elements whenever possible. This allows you to create an app that looks and feels like a truly native app.

Titanium is a developer application in itself so you don’t have to work in Xcode. Everything is run off of JavaScript and HTML files that you can edit in your editor of choice. It’s just like creating a website except for the special JavaScript calls that it has developed.

It is actually easier to use the native elements it provides than to try to create the iPhone look using HTML. It has a great example app called Kitchen Sink which shows you everything that can be done. If you like what you see, find the source file and see how their developers did it. I like learning this way and it allowed me to advance and get comfortable pretty quickly.

A lot of other steps have to be taken on the Apple Dev Center site to allow you to test apps on your devices and submit them to the store such as provisioning & distribution profiles. Once you take care of all your profile downloads and testing, Titanium can create a zip file that’s ready to be uploaded to Apple. I was very impressed by how easy this was. I used Titanium to test my apps in the iPhone simulator, on my iPhone and then created the file that was ready to submit.

Conclusion

To get into iPhone developing, I was willing to spend the $99 Apple wanted, but that was it. Until I could make that money back, I wasn’t interested in paying for anything else. Now that I see the backend and have actually made some money, the idea of paying for development is more appealing.

If you are ready to take the plunge, I would look at Titanium. You’ll get the native elements without having to learn Objective-C. If you have a some money to spend, and perhaps a more complicated app, RhoMobile may be the answer. If you have a lot of money to spend then why not hire a developer who could bang it out for you in a week? It all depends on what you want to get out of the experience.

Now that I have done a few apps using Titanium, I am interested in learning and using Apple’s SDK tools. I hope I can find the time and the willpower to learn a new programming language. It would be the logical final step in my iPhone journey. I started by making web apps and to finish by making native apps just makes sense. If you have a good idea for an app then go for it, the most you’ll be out is $99 and some time.

• Key Competitors: Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage.
• Power: 1.6L direct-injection 4-cylinder turbo – 180-hp / 170 lb-ft of torque.
• Transmission: Nissan Xtronic CVT with S-mode, 6-speed manual (SV FWD and SL FWD models only).
• Availability: Fall of 2010.
• Pricing: TBA but will start under $20,000.

Here is another Nissan vehicle that will carry that “love it or hate it” mentality just like the 2010 Nissan Cube – meet the 2011 Nissan Juke.

Click here to get prices on the 2010 Nissan Cube.

“JUKE is about to carve out a unique space in the rapidly growing compact crossover/hatchback segment with its combination of striking design, agile handling and driving pleasure and user friendly technology,” said Brian Carolin, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Nissan North America. “Add in the convenience, versatility and high seating positioning of a traditional compact SUV – and pricing that is expected to start at just under $20,000 – and you’ve got a vehicle unlike any other in its class.”

Think of the 2011 Nissan Juke as a Nissan Cube SUV carrying an optional all-wheel-drive system, abstract (or unique) styling and a vehicle that it targeted towards the young car buyer.

Make the jump for the press release and the live high-res gallery.

2010 New York: 2011 Nissan Juke:

All Photos Copyright © 2010 Ari Klots – egmCarTech.

2011 Nissan Juke:

Press Release:

2011 Nissan JUKE Sports Cross Makes North American Debut at New York International Auto Show

Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today unveiled the all-new Nissan JUKE sports cross at a special media preview near Rockefeller Center. The dramatically styled JUKE, which joins Nissan’s popular Murano and Rogue crossovers at Nissan dealers nationwide in the fall of 2010, will be on display at the New York International Auto Show at Jacob Javits Center April 2nd through 11th. A special Web broadcast debut is scheduled for Wednesday, March 31 at 9:00 a.m. EDT. It can be viewed at www.nissanjukenyc.com.

Along with its bold design inside and out, which draws on a number of active lifestyle influences including motorcycles and rally cars, JUKE brings unexpected levels of performance from a 1.6-liter Direct Injection Gasoline (DIG™) turbo engine and an advanced torque vectoring all-wheel drive (AWD) system with performance technology usually reserved for premium vehicles.

The JUKE interior offers bolstered front seats and a center console inspired by a motorcycle fuel tank and finished in a two-coat high-gloss paint. The gearshift sits on top of the console, with a short shifter lever for sporty driving. In the rear, a fold-down 60/40-split bench seat and flat load floor provide passenger and cargo hauling flexibility.

Available features range from leather-appointed seats and RearView Monitor to Nissan Intelligent Key™ with Push Button Ignition, navigation system with real-time traffic information and power sliding moonroof. A long list of standard safety features is also available, including six air bags, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC).

Powering JUKE is a standard 1.6-liter Direct Injection Gasoline (DIG™) Turbo, 16-valve DOHC aluminum-alloy inline 4-cylinder engine rated at 180+ horsepower and 170+ lb-ft of torque. The engine, the first application in North America, combines energetic performance and good fuel economy. Two transmissions are offered – Nissan’s advanced Xtronic CVT™ (Continuously Variable Transmission) with S-Mode and a 6-speed manual transmission (SV FWD and SL FWD models only).

JUKE’s torque vectoring AWD system splits torque up to 50:50 between the front and rear wheels and can also can split torque from side-to-side across the rear axle. When cornering, the system helps reduce understeer and enhance the vehicle’s cornering feel.

Another new-to-Nissan technology debuting on JUKE is the innovative Integrated Control (I-CON) system. The I-CON system functions in one setting as a controller for the automatic climate control system, and in the other offers a drive mode selector with three different throttle/transmission (CVT)/steering response settings – Normal for everyday driving, Sport for a more intense performance feel and Eco for maximum efficiency.

I-CON also serves as a central command center and display module, adopting different display colors and functions depending on how it is being used. In Climate mode, the display shows the interior temperature settings while the “buttons” display air flow preferences. In the “D-Mode,” the buttons change to the three driving modes and the display shows engine and drive related dials and information.

“JUKE provides an exceptional level of available technology for its segment and a special character all its own,” said Carolin. “We’re expecting an enthusiastic response from people attending the New York Auto Show and look forward to JUKE going on sale this fall.”

– By: Roman Bronfenbrener

Bank of America Merrill Lynch just released its weekly “Hedge Fund Monitor” (via MarketFolly) and in it we see that the hedge fund sector as a whole is bullish on platinum right now.

While they continue to short gold, silver, and copper, hedge funds are still seeing platinum under a buy level:

When it comes to gold, silver, and copper, hedge funds are paring back:

Head over to Marketfolly to read the full research report.

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